England vow to bounce back in pink-ball Test

ADELAIDE • England captain Joe Root on Tuesday backed Jack Leach and Rory Burns to bounce back from dismal Ashes performances, as star all-rounder Ben Stokes declared himself fit to carry the fight to Australia.

Root refused to rule out selecting Leach in today's pink-ball Test in Adelaide, even though the spinner conceded 102-1 from 13 overs as England stumbled to a nine-wicket loss in Brisbane.

England controversially rested veteran fast bowlers Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad for the first Test but Root said the pair were "fit and ready to go" in Adelaide.

Leach's meagre returns in Brisbane would normally see him dropped to make room in the attack, but England will want a specialised slow bowler for Adelaide's traditionally spin-friendly wicket.

"We've obviously got some big decisions to make," Root said, adding that conditions did not suit Leach at the Gabba but Australia could pay the price if they continued to target him elsewhere.

"I'm sure he'll want to respond and he'll want to get back into the series and have an impact.

"Some of the grounds that we will be going to from this point onwards should offer a lot more for him and bring spin into it as well."

Root also offered support to opening batsman Burns, who fell to the first ball of the series in Brisbane and then dropped a crucial chance from David Warner.

"Rory is a very strong character, you can't doubt that side of his game," he said. "He'll come back in and want a response and want to put some big scores on the board."

Stokes, who failed to fire in Brisbane - his first competitive match in six months after a finger injury and mental health issues - dismissed concerns a knee injury could keep him out today.

"People will have seen me rubbing my knee from time to time when I was in the field, but rest assured I'm fine," Stokes wrote in a column for Britain's Daily Mirror.

"It is an old injury that flares up every now and again."

In the 2017-18 Ashes series, England lost the pink-ball Test in Adelaide on the way to a 4-0 defeat and will face a team who have never lost a Test under lights.

Australia captain Pat Cummins said he was sure England would bounce back, but warned that his team were riding high from the manner of their win in Brisbane.

"We take a lot of confidence out of that game, in particular that just about every one of our 11 got into the series," he said. "It went perfectly for us, no doubt it won't happen every game, but we couldn't be happier with our start."

He added that dynamic opener Warner will play through the pain after suffering bruised ribs in Brisbane, while Jhye Richardson will replace Josh Hazlewood, who was ruled out this week with a side strain.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS